Hi all, I'm a Newsweek writer with a new book, "Gearheads: the Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports," published this month by Simon & Schuster. I don't intend to sound overly commercial here, but I think this is something the FIRST community will want to discuss on the forum. My book explores the history of robot competitions going back to Woodie's 2.70 contest at MIT. It tells the real reason Dean came up with FIRST, how he enlisted Woodie, and their fateful clashes with those involved with the more combative versions of the sport.
To get more information or to write me directly, you can check out
www.gearheadsthebook.com. But I will check back here occasionally to respond to anyone who wants to discuss the issues I raise in the book.
Good luck to all with this year's FIRST season!
Brad